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CLOSING MY DENTAL PRACTICE AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Jacob Sigmon

“Full Disclosure - Below is an email I received that was written by the Oberman Law Firm. It is highly advisable to discuss any particulars of this email with your own lawyer to validate the specifics of the content below. ”
— Jacob Sigmon

Do I have to close my dental practice?

           Currently there is no requirement that you close your dental practice. However, every precaution should be taken to help reduce the transmission of COVID-19. According to the American Dental Association, such precautions may include, but are not limited to, screening patients for their potential exposure to or risk of having the virus, use of personal protective equipment, taking the temperature of all patients before performing any procedures, cleaning and disinfecting public areas frequently, providing a waiting area that can accommodate “social distancing”, use of a rubber dam when appropriate to decrease possible exposure to infectious agents, use of high-speed evacuation for dental procedures producing an aerosol, autoclaving handpieces after each patient, and having patients rinse with a 1% hydrogen peroxide solution before each appointment.

           While it is not mandatory, many dental associations, including the American Dental Association, are making recommendations that dentists voluntarily suspend all elective, non-urgent or non-emergency dental care for a period of time ranging from two (2) to three (3) weeks. The decision of whether a particular procedure may be necessary for a particular patient should be made on a case by case basis by the treating dentist in the exercise of his or her professional judgment. 

Generally, elective procedures are those which may be beneficial but not absolutely essential at that time. 

The situation on whether to close your practice or not should be monitored closely as the mandatory rules and recommendations for each state are changing rapidly.

What happens to my employees if I close the office? Am I obligated to pay them?

           As of now, in most states, if you close your practice, you are not obligated to pay any employee who is classified “non-exempt”, meaning they are hourly employees. 

If you close the practice you must pay an “exempt” (salaried) employee for any week in which they do any work for the benefit of the practice. If you have salaried staff members working from home checking messages, responding to emails, working on billing, rescheduling appointments or otherwise, such exempt employee must be paid in full for the entire week, no matter how many hours they may work. 

You are not obligated to pay an “exempt” employee who does not work for an entire seven (7) day period.  

Please be advised that there is a pending bill in Congress which may impact this answer. We will need to re-evaluate this information when, or if, that bill is passed.

Do I have to pay my employees for use of their accrued time off?

The question of whether or not an employee who may have accrued paid leave time may be entitled to use such leave is a unique situation and will be dependent upon the specific language in your employee manual. You may not be required to make such payments if your employee manual does not require you to do so.

Are my employees eligible for unemployment if we close the office?

           Yes. If your office is closed for a period of time due to COVID-19, or your employees work less than full time during a week, your employees may be eligible for the payment of unemployment insurance benefits. Depending upon state unemployment laws, there may be a waiting period, such as one to two weeks, before they would be eligible for benefits. Unemployment insurance is available to employees who become unemployed through no fault of their own. An office closure due to COVID-19 is not the fault of the employee. 

           Some states, like Georgia, may require employers file partial unemployment claims for the benefit of their employees who are still employed, but currently working less than full time due to a lack of work. Please check with your local department of labor to confirm.

If an employee imposes a self-quarantine because of their potential exposure to COVID-19, such employee may not be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits. The employee is choosing not to work, and it is not the employer’s decision.

Can I pay my employees something if I close the office?

Even in situations where you are not legally obligated to do so, you may elect to pay your employees for all or part of their salaries while the office is closed.  Such payments could be continued as salary or wage payments or may be provided as a bonus. You should confirm with your accountant the best way to process such payments for purposes of tax withholdings. Such payments should be processed like any other income payments which are made to your employees. 

If I stay open, can I refuse to treat patients who are higher risk for COVID-19?

           You may refuse to treat patients who have one or more risk factors for COVID-19. Such risk factors may include: presently having one or more symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, or other flu like symptoms), having come in contact with someone that is known to have or is suspected of having COVID-19 within the last fourteen (14) days, or having traveled to an area that is known to have an outbreak or a high concentration of COVID-19 cases within the last fourteen (14) days.

           You may NOT refuse to treat elderly patients because of their age. Nor may you refuse to treat someone based on their national origin. For instance, if you have a patient who is originally from a country which has a high concentration of COVID-19 cases, such as China or Italy, you may not refuse to treat them for that reason alone.

Can an employee who is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 be asked to stay home or leave work?

           Yes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) states that any employee who exhibits any symptoms of an influenza-like illness during a pandemic should leave the workplace immediately. 

Can an asymptomatic employee be sent home if they have other risk factors for COVID-19?

           Yes, if an employee fits within certain risk categories as established by the CDC you may send such an employee home. Currently the CDC guidelines state that employees who have been in close contact with or live in the same household with an individual who is symptomatic and has tested positive for COVID-19 may be excluded from the workplace.

           If an employee has recently traveled to a country which has been identified by the CDC as having “widespread, ongoing transmission” of COVID-19 they may be asked to self-quarantine for a period of fourteen (14) days upon their return.  Presently such countries are identified as Austria, Belgium, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City, and Wales.

If I stay open, can employees refuse to come to work?

           Probably not. Employers are required to provide a workplace which is free from recognized hazards that are likely to cause serious harm or death. If your practice has proper safety protocols in place to reduce the transmission of infectious disease, the workplace is probably free from recognizable hazards. Each situation would need to be examined on a case by case basis. If an employee simply refuses to come to work because someone in the community who has no ties to the practice has COVID-19, then that would not be sufficient reason to refuse to come to work.

Can I take the temperature of my staff before letting them come to work?

Under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), employers have limitations on the inquiries they may make into an employee’s medical condition. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) considers taking an employee’s temperature to be a “medical examination” under the ADA, and therefore it may not be permitted.

If you were to require a medical examination of your employees (which includes taking temperatures) you would need to be able to justify that such an exam was job-related and consistent with the needs of your business. You would need to have some objective evidence that the specific employee posed an actual “direct threat” to the health or safety of themselves or others that could not otherwise be eliminated or reduced.  

The EEOC states that, if the CDC or a state or local health authority has proclaimed that a pandemic has spread to your area, then a “direct threat” may be present and you may take an employee’s temperature. The current situation is unique and may be legally uncertain. According to the World Health Organization, COVID-19 has been declared a global pandemic. 

The United States, through our federal, state and local governments as well as through the actions of corporate and individual citizens, has been taking aggressive measures to help curb the spread of COVID-19. Therefore, if COVID-19 is widespread in a particular community, requiring health care workers, such as those who treat patients in a dental office, to submit to a temperature check prior to work may be considered reasonable in advancing the community goal of reduced transmission.

Please note, a fever may not be the best measure to determine conclusively that an employee has COVID-19 or that he or she is a threat to your patients. Unfortunately, many people who have COVID-19 will be asymptomatic during the time period when the virus is most contagious.

Please be advised that the information contained herein is provided as general information only and is not intended to take the place of legal advice. This information may not be applicable to your individual situation. Nothing contained herein is intended to create an attorney client relationship. If you need further guidance or advice, please contact our office.

Stuart J. Oberman, Esq.

Founder and President of Oberman Law Firm

Health Care Law, Employment Law & Compliance

Lauren A. Mansour, Esq.

Partner

Health Care Law, Mergers & Acquisitions

Grace M. Tillman, Esq.

Senior Corporate Counsel

Employment Law, Compliance & Litigation

Oberman Law Firm

Oberman Law Firm handles a wide range of legal matters for the dental profession including, LLC & Professional Corporation Formation, Practice Sales & Acquisitions, Partnership Agreements, Real Estate and Lease Agreements, Wills, Trusts, & Estate Planning, Employment Law, Non-Compete Agreements, Risk Management, OSHA/ HIPAA Compliance, Dental Board Defense, and Medicaid Audits.

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Things To Do When Shutting Down Your Dental Office

Jacob Sigmon

Shutting Down Your Office Tips

  • Water Bottles - Run system to purge all water from unit lines.  Remove water bottle and let air dry.

  • Air Compressor – Power down release all air and drain tanks where applicable.

  • Flush all vac line, replace sediment filters, replace all disposable traps on units.

  • Replace amalgam separators due to prophy paste hardening

  • Power down dry vac and

    • Midmark power and G vac – if cutting main power add WD-40 to pump drive piston to prevent lockup.  If leaving power on and newer style system will autorun every so often to prevent lockup.

    • RamVacs remove air filter to release pressure.  Can hydro lock from oil drip.  This is normal motor overloads may trip on startup.  Kill voltage to system.

    • Vac systems – clean out tanks where applicable.

    • Mohave vacs – leave breakers on or MMC can risk serious errors

      Wet vacs – turn off water supply after flushing lines and kill power.

  • Autoclaves – clean and drain.  Do not replace water; let air dry.

  • Hydrim – remove soap/salt and solution and run shipping cycle.

  • Empty all distiller and let dry.

  • Water purification systems – shut down water and purge with air until ops and all faucets run dry.

  • Chairs leave in upright most position as high as they will do.

  • Oil all handpieces and clean and lube all HVE and SE handles.

  • Remove plaster trap and discard.

  • Computer system – complete backup on removable hard drive and take to safe location offsite.

  • Power down all computers, servers, switches, etc.

  • Drain, clean and let ultrasonics air dry.

  • Empty all water collection cannisters on casse3tte sterilizers.

  • Model trimmers – run water for a period of 10 minutes with unit On to clean wheel as well as flush all drain lines

  • Replace all dust collector filters in lab areas.

  • Bleed all airlines in ops and lab areas.

  • Thoroughly clean all mills from any debris.  Keep lid open.

  • Drain all coolant water from mills.

  • 3D printers remove all resin in machine and clean. 

  • Unplug any furnaces.

Scheduling Your Required OSHA Yearly Training

Jacob Sigmon

From time to time, we hear stories in our nation where dental offices are potentially shut down because of an event that has happened regarding the potential spread of viruses. It is vital that a dental office schedule and complete yearly blood born pathogen training or also known as OSHA training. Many offices dread the endeavor, but it is really quite easy and painless (yes, even for the dentist).

In my experience, many dental offices fail to complete this requirement for some of the reasons below:

  • Unawareness of the yearly OSHA training requirement

  • Practicing for years without it and haven’t had any issues

  • Busy office and forgets to schedule the yearly training

However, an event or an OSHA inspector will not favor any of the aforementioned reasons. It’s important that dental offices implement yearly OSHA training because it:

  • refreshes the office team members of best practices for safety

  • protects your patients and team from blood born pathogens

  • trains any new team members you may have added

  • identifies any problem areas in the office and offers safeguards to protect the office

  • complies with the OSHA mandated yearly training requirement

There are some dental offices that will wait for a specialist to hire a speaker and attend the event at an off site location. While that may satisfy the OSHA requirement, it will typically take up a Friday. In addition, I see that when offices attend an event like that, they rarely implement anything they learn which makes it counterproductive other than gaining the CEU’s.

I would like to offer a more effective and efficient strategy for your dental office. As our customers know, Atlanta Dental Supply trains our dental advisors so that we can offer the OSHA training for the dental office. In our 2 hour training (most of the time over an extended lunch), we will provide:

  • a thorough on-site dental office review so that we can identify the areas that are non-compliant.

  • a review of your OSHA manual (if you have one) to check for mandated items such as a written exposure control plan, hazard communication plan. employee records and training documents.

  • the availability of CEU’s for those that may want them.

  • an easy to understand presentation that focuses on the areas of your office that may need the most attention.

  • a friendly environment to discuss any issues and help the office exceed and maintain it’s OSHA protocols.

If you would like to set up your yearly OSHA required training, you can contact me by clicking on the button below. Yearly HIPAA training is not required. However, if you would like HIPAA training as well, we can provide for your office.

1 Shade For Every Patient.....Yea, I was skeptical too!

Jacob Sigmon

Until I started to hear the testimonials of the dentists who have already tried it. One dentist said,

“This product is going to change the way I practice Dentistry”

That’s high praise for yet another composite on the market. Another dentist reached out to me and said,

“I didn’t know what to expect, but I was thrilled by the results. It was a little soft, but the end result was great!”

It has created a buzz in the dental community already. I would love to know what the marketing budget is for this product because I have seen it in almost every dental publication. Tokuyama has given me access to samples for my customers to try. Watch the video below for more information about this revolutionary product.

I am ordering samples for my customers. If you would like a sample, click the button below.

5 Handpiece Mistakes Offices Make

Jacob Sigmon

In one week, I received 4 calls about relatively new handpieces needing to go in for an unexpected repair. The office protocols vary drastically between offices and it’s important to develop a correct one based upon the manufacturers recommendations. In those calls, there were some very alarming details about how they were actually maintaining their handpieces. For example, all 4 calls (from different offices) were wiping their handpieces down after use with a Caviwipe. That is a definitely against every manufacturers recommendations because the chemicals cause the parts to break down faster. Below, I have provided 5 common mistakes to help your office develop a correct protocol to maintain your handpieces.

1. Keep wipe-downs simple.

Remember to wipe your handpiece down with warm water, or warm water with a mild detergent, prior to lubrication and sterilization. Using strong chemicals to do this is usually unnecessary, and may even cause problems with chemical interactions during sterilization. That means do NOT use Caviwipes or other wipes. Do not submerge the handpiece in any liquid, unless the manufacturer’s manual explicitly directs you to do so.

2. Too much pressure?

Remember to follow the manufacturer’s instructions regarding air pressure specifications, found in the manual. Higher air pressure does not mean higher performance. Paying attention to the manufacturer’s specifications could avoid serious damage to the turbine, regardless of whether you are working with a highor low-speed device.

3, Don’t ignore the bur.

Remember to remove your bur prior to lubricating and purging your handpiece; this allows for a more through lubrication and purge of the internal components.

4. Use an Automated Handpiece Maintenance System

If an office does not have an automated Handpiece maintenance system, they are likely to have issues before the expected lifespan of the turbine. Sometimes, offices don’t run the Handpiece at all before going into the autoclave. It’s like brushing, but not flossing. It’s not getting the smaller areas inside the Handpiece clean if this important step is not completed. The automated Handpiece maintenance system makes it easy by pressing a button and letting it do it’s job. If you only have an air station, many team members only keep it on the air station for a couple of seconds instead of the recommended 30 seconds.

4. Double-check your port.

If you are manually maintaining your Handpiece, make sure you are using the drive air port (the smaller of the two larger holes) to apply your lubricant, rather than any other opening in the handpiece. This opening is the only direct path to the turbine.

PROTECTING YOUR PRACTICE - What Your OSHA Manual Really Needs

Jacob Sigmon

It is important that the bloodborne pathogen section in your OSHA Book has a written exposure control plan.  That means that an office actually has to write in the book.  An OSHA inspector wants to see writing in the book that details a plan to prevent needle sticks, etc.  The reason they want to see the writing is that it shows that an office is actually trying to be compliant for that particular location.  They don't want you to purchase an OSHA book and put it away for 20 years.  They want you to customize it for your location and update it throughout the year as you add safer devices.   

Read More

Organize Your Dental Inventory To Lower Costs

Jacob Sigmon

Your overhead is rising and lower insurance reimbursements are changing the dental market and the first knee-jerk reaction is to find cheaper prices for supplies, right?    So, your next step is to get on the internet to find supply pricing that fits your budget.   However, doing so can lead you into the shadows of gray market materials and actually increase your processes which raise your hidden costs.  Some hidden costs can include paying multiple vendors, lost efficiency in ordering processes which are elevated when staff turns over, and lost buying power through a vendor that also takes care of your maintenance, equipment and overall needs. 

Recently, I met with a dental assistant who replaced someone who had been there for 20 years.   Her job was to continue the ordering processes as the person she replaced.  Supplies were tagged and hidden in drawers in all locations throughout the office.  Now,  I am not saying this is a bad system, but is it most efficient for the office?  It mostly worked for the previous team member because the system was hers and everyone had to go through her to make it work.  Unfortunately, the team member who is now tasked with ordering is uncovering years and years of inefficiency.  So...where does this office go from here?  

There are many levels of solutions that require answers to these questions below:  

  • How do we create a system that is easy transferable and understandable?
  • How do we create a transparent inventory system that is easy to tell what needs to be ordered? 
  • How do we create lower overhead costs and create better efficiency?
  • How do we make ordering easy with all of the other tasks that need to be completed to meet OSHA standards in turning a room around and keeping the schedule on time? 
  • How much do we want to spend to create the ideal inventory system?  

Let's look at examples.   

Unorganized Chaos!  

IMG_0044.JPG

This example shows little to no organization.  Most likely, the one person that is tasked with ordering is both placing and grabbing from the spot where only they know the location of that item.  Others that are having to locate an item most likely are fumbling and wasting time trying to locate an item they need quickly.  

 

Clean and Organized, yet Transparent?

IMG_0045.JPG

In this example, there is more organization.   There is a place with labels that contain a barcode.  The person ordering would scan the barcode of the item that they wanted to order.  Once all items are scanned, they are transferred into an ordering software, such as Breeze by Atlanta Dental.  All items, with a click of a button, are then sent into shipment which the office receives the next day.   This typically utilizes current cabinet or closet space with almost no cost.   The only drawback to this efficiency is that it is somewhat difficult to see if there are items actually in the bins.  

 

  Clean, Efficient and Lower Overhead

IMG_0046.JPG

Imagine a sterilization center so clean that you want to show off to your patients so they know your sterilization methods.  When patients see the efforts that you put into their safety, they end up telling their friends which help with internal referrals.  This inventory system uses the same barcode system in the previous picture.  However, they also utilize a more central space with clear tip-out bins that help make ordering clear and concise. 

Earlier, the example of the assistant who was given the task of taking over the ordering from the team member who had her own system for 20 years was interviewed to reveal the progress after making these simple changes.   Before, they were ordering from 12 different vendors.  They had no centralized storage and stuffed items in drawers throughout the office.   Together, we created:

  •  a centralized storage area to quickly identify items that need to be ordered
  • reduced the number of vendors which increased the buying power of that office with the select few trusted companies 
  • implemented a barcode system that made ordering quick and easy giving this office a system that is easily transferable in case the ordering duty was passed along to another team member
  • implemented the 80/20 rule of ordering (click here for the 80/20 rule of ordering). 

I urge you to read the 80/20 rule of ordering to help lower costs.  When meeting with offices and listening to their challenges, efficiency is a constant theme.  Why is efficiency so important?  It's a loose term that is thrown around, but rarely defined (or executed for that matter) to accomplish a greater good.  Efficiency is defined by Wikipedia as:

"Efficiency is the (often measurable) ability to avoid wasting materials, energy, efforts, money, and time in doing something or in producing a desired result. In a more general sense, it is the ability to do things well, successfully, and without waste. In more mathematical or scientific terms, it is a measure of the extent to which input is well used for an intended task or function (output). It often specifically comprises the capability of a specific application of effort to produce a specific outcome with a minimum amount or quantity of waste, expense, or unnecessary effort. Efficiency, of course, refers to very different inputs and outputs in different fields and industries."

Now that we have defined efficiency, lets explore how we can apply it to the dental office.   An office typically contains doctors, dental assistants, hygienists, office managers, front office team members, etc.   The doctor, whom is typically the owner, has to perform the direct service to the consumer (patient) as well as manage a team with different experiences and backgrounds.   This  amalgam (yes..pun intended) of the dental team is the input of production.  Meaning, the collective efforts of their work is the input and the output is measured by relationships, monetary production, profitability, and overall practice ambiance.   When turnover happens (a team member resigns or is fired), typically that person that replaces that team member is thrown into the fire and is in a sink or swim mentality.  Often, the onboarding of training is the habitual processes of what the practice has always done to get that team member quickly up to speed. 

By making these simple, yet effective changes, a dental office can recognize substantial dental supply savings which will help in the new normal of lower insurance reimbursements.  The adage - "Don't believe everything you read on the internet" can hold very true in the world of dental supplies.  If your dental office needs some supply revamping, your trusted dental supply rep has the ability to save your office money and create an efficient ordering system. 

            Jacobsigmon@atlantadental.com

            Jacobsigmon@atlantadental.com

Jacob Sigmon is a territory specialist in Savannah, Georgia and serves the coastal Georgia area. He has over 15 years of dental management and has helped set up over 50 practices.  Employed by Atlanta Dental Supply, Jacob is a shareholder of the employee owned company.  His responsibilities include helping dentists with all aspects of their business as well as helping Atlanta Dental grow stronger for the future.  He also started coastalhygiene.com and atlantadentalrep.com.

80/20 Rule of Ordering Dental Supplies

Jacob Sigmon

IMG_0051.PNG

I am reminded of my college statistics class when coming up with this title.  For some reason,   I actually liked sitting through that class.  There was an unspoken blueprint to succeed and get an A+.  Follow the methodical steps no matter how long or short the process and the result will eventually reveal itself.  Statistics have applications throughout every industry both on micro and macro levels of a business.  In this instance, we are going to apply the 80/20 rule to dental supplies.  

 

For the purpose of this setting, we will define the 80/20 rule of dental supplies as...

 - The 20% of the dental supplies that you order, but use 80% of the time. 

In a general practitioner setting, those items consist of:

  • Composites
  • Bonding
  • Cements
  • Burs
  • Impression Materials
  • Anesthetics
  • Disposables

Specialists have different product groups that equate to the 20% of most purchased items.  For example, a pediatric office will use a lot of prophy angles, varnishes, sealants, etc.  The needs of an oral surgeon, ortho, endo and perio office will vary greatly in the categories of supplies they purchase. 

 

At Atlanta Dental Supply, the average amount of line items that a dental office will order is 452.  Let's take 20% of that number which is 90.4.   So if we focus on the 90 items that an office will purchase routinely and with great quantity, we can help reduce costs which leads to lower overhead and higher profitability.   That all sounds great, right?  But how do we achieve lower overhead? 

Lets dive into one category that we listed above - composites.   For example purposes, we will assume that an office may use 8 shades of composite - A1, A2, A3, A3.5, B1, C1, C2, Bleach.  That is 8 of the 90 line items that we now want to focus on.  Every office wants the chance to compete with group practices and the volume discounts that they receive from manufacturers.   Manufacturers will assess the group practice entity by number of locations and volume.  The entity will receive a discount on a category such as restorative.  They may get 40% - 50% off of composites, bonding agents, cements, etc.  Those discounts help make the group practice more profitable.

For the private practitioner, it seems challenging to compete with those discounts.  However,  each manufacturer have specials that help drive the costs down.  Why do manufacturers have specials and not just go ahead and discount the product?  Manufacturers know that only 26% of their specials actually get redeemed.  Thus, their profitability goes up based upon the inaction of their consumer.  Is the system broken?  Maybe, but the goal in this article is to help you beat the system. 

Going back to the composite example, a manufacturer currently has a special of buy 3, get 1 free.   For easy numbers, lets say a refill of shade A2 composite sells for $100.  If we buy 3 (mix and match shades), we get 1 free for a total of 4 refills.  We have just saved 25% off the cost of the composite category.  What you may not know is that there is also, with the same manufacturer, a buy 5, get 2 free which equates to a 28.5% savings.   The same manufacturer also has a buy 10, get 5 free which equates to a 33% savings.   Again, that same manufacturer has a buy 15 refills, get a free curing light.  Some manufacturers have incentives that take the net cost down below what group practices receive. Taking advantage of these specials on these focus items depending on your needs and cash flow can greatly affect your profit and loss statement over the course of your financial year.  

 

One key ingredient in saving money is utilizing your dental rep and making sure they are working hard to help an office save money.  Most reps will negotiate, facilitate and implement these specials behind the scenes.  At Atlanta Dental, we like to identify key areas of savings to help our customers reduce their costs in such a competitive market.  One such way we identify is a report that is shown below. 

This report shows that the customer received almost $1500 in free product for a 2 1/2 week span of purchases.  

This report shows that the customer received almost $1500 in free product for a 2 1/2 week span of purchases.  

The manufacturer leaves the implementation up to the office.  History (and statistics for that matter) shows that the dental team very rarely faxes in their invoices to receive the free goods, hence the low free good fulfillment rate I mentioned earlier.  Your dental rep is that person that completes the point of purchase to delivery of free product.   

 

Additionally, your office may use a category of products from one manufacturer.   For example, you may purchase composites, bonding, cements and impression materials from the same manufacturer.  Most likely, that manufacturer has loyalty programs that will help you even further lower your costs.  By utilizing their free goods and their loyalty programs, a dental office can compete and beat the advantages that group practices receive.  

 

In addition to the manufacturer specials and loyalty programs, a distributor such as Atlanta Dental, has their own loyalty programs that help in all areas of the dental practice.  The areas of savings are through:

  • Free Shipping
  • Off-invoice merchandise savings
  • Service and Technology Technician savings
  • Equipment savings
  • Handpiece Repair savings
  • Much more

However, it's important to have the communicative  relationship with your dental representative that promotes the goals of the practice.   Having quarterly meetings with your dental rep can help keep everyone on the same page.   By utilizing the 80/20 rule as well as creating an efficient dental inventory system, it will be like getting that A+ in statistics class. 

In review, the main points to help you with the 80/20 rule:

  • Focus on the 20% of the items that you buy, but use 80% of the time. 
  • Utilize manufacturer specials almost every time that you buy them.  
  • Utilize the manufacturer loyalty reward programs that exist to help lower your costs 
  • Initiate or maintain a communicative role with your dental representative 
  • Utilize the distributor loyalty programs that help you save money through rebates, off-invoice discounts, service discounts, free shipping, and much more.  
                  Jacobsigmon@atlantadental.com

                  Jacobsigmon@atlantadental.com

Jacob Sigmon is a territory specialist in Savannah, Georgia and serves the coastal Georgia area. He has over 15 years of dental management and has helped set up over 50 practices. Employed by Atlanta Dental Supply, Jacob is a shareholder of the employee owned company. His responsibilities include helping dentists with all aspects of their business as well as helping Atlanta Dental grow stronger for the future. He also started coastalhygiene.com and atlantadentalrep.com.